Rasmeduniya last episode:
I've enjoyed rasmeduniya throughout its entire series, but have to admit that the last episode was a little bit of a let down. Not because of acting, but I thought there were way too many flashbacks of Faris and Haya that made it tedious, and in my opinion Haya and Harib divorce scene should've been solo, without the entire khandan present.
Haya's speech shed a light on domestic violence that was much needed, but I wish it was elaborated more. Nikah doesn't make you a man's property to deal with however he wants, a punchbag so to speak, where he can take out all his frustrations without remorse. Haya's lecture to Harib was much needed to make him realize how wrong he had been, in treating her as if he has every right to do whatever he wants. But, Harib's situation was different, just like Haya says, that he had no control over his behavior due to his personality disorder; but it did give the wrong impression that if the girl does as the husband pleases, remains firm enduring the abuse, the husband might turn around (which is rare because most men who abuse women are narcissistic, for which there is no treatment). Maybe, if it was worded a little differently?
Coming to Harib, you all know by now how special Harib is to me; partly because I have seen first hand the affects of abuse on children, and partly because Sami Khan played it to perfection. An otherwise antagonist character, was portrayed in such a way, that you can't help but fall in love with him. The writer is also to be applauded, for bringing out the childlike innocence to Harib making him an impeccable character. There were still some aspects of Harib's disorder that could've been dealt with more professionally; for example Harib also had dissociative episodes, which vanished all of a sudden, into thin air without a proper explanation; and his impulsivity and mood instability became less acute as the show progressed without justification. I think Harib's illness should've been given more significance, illustrating how to tackle the social issues surrounding a loved one with a mental disorder, as well as highlighting treatment options and to emphasize that a mental illness needs appropriate medical care.
The one aspect that was not handled well at all, be it story telling, direction or acting was Shazia's assault. She, being a rape victim, did not act like one at all; even the scenes immediately following the assault did not show any evidence of rape! The most exasperating part was when Tabriz blamed Shazia's divorce on her being raped and ultimately resulting in Bisma's divorce. It's ludicrous to blame the victim instead of the abuser, no matter what the situation might be. Nevertheless, shazia's assault was an unnecessary tangent that was not needed at all; her and Bisma's divorce could have be shown under different circumstances as well.
Now to the major let down of the episode! It would have been a delight to see some sweet moments between Haya and Harib and I wish the divorce scene was between the two of them only. Nonetheless, it was acted well by both, but I think Armeena's voice modulation and dialogue delivery could have been better for a more significant impact. That being said, Armeena has been amazing throughout, portraying a victim of domestic violence to the T.
Armeena's Haya was a precise depiction of a victim of domestic violence. There has been a lot of criticism of her character, condemning her to be meek, timid, even though she is educated enough. It's disappointing that people can be so judgmental without realizing what it is to be like in this situation. Domestic violence has phases; the tension building phase, then there is an acute phase which is characterized by outbursts of violence including psychological, verbal or physical abuse followed by a "honeymoon phase" during which the perpetrator is remorseful, guilty, showing affection to the victim, to the point of sometimes even making the victim feel confused, and she may even feel responsible for the abuse towards her or worse, that she deserves it. It is not easy to get out of an abusive relationship, sometimes takes decades for the victim to have enough strength and courage to walk out of it; and this has nothing to do with education, family background, money.
Lastly, I do want to say that trials and tribulations are from Allah, they can be in the form of good or bad, and are a blessing in disguise. If Tayi Jan had not done what she had, Bisma would still have been living with her perverted husband, Haya would've been married to Faris not realizing Harib's love for her, harib might not have gotten better, and shazia would've remained married to her cousin (I am sure it was better for her in the end). I have absolute faith that whatever Allah takes away from us, there is a reason behind it; that we might not be aware of right now, but it is good for US in the long run and to be thankful to Allah no matter what the situation might be.
And last but not the least, this drama would've fallen flat if it hadn't been for Sami Khan's excellent performance of Harib and Sameena Peerzada's brilliant portrayal of Tayi Jaan. Both were multi faceted characters, and what these two have brought to these characters nobody else would have been able to!
Already missing Harib!
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